A reflection on global warming
By ANDREW PEH
ON Aldersgate Day 2006,
a documentary film on global warming presented by the former Vice-President
of the United States, Mr Al Gore, opened in New York and Los Angeles.
The film, "An Inconvenient Truth", went on to win the
Academy Award for Best Documentary in 2007.
Following closely on its success, Mr Gore went on to support the
more recent monumental music event, Live Earth, staged in the
cities of New York, London, Sydney, Tokyo, Shanghai, Rio de Janeiro,
Johannesburg and Hamburg. Held on July 7, 2007 (070707), Live
Earth was the musical event to kick-start a three-year campaign
in calling individuals, corporations and governments to take action
to combat climate change and advocate environmentally-sustainable
living. This was to be and continues to be a bid to deliver a
worldwide call to action.
On the home front, Mediacorp, in seeking to add to the chorus
of voices clamouring for Singaporeans' attention with regard to
contributing to global action against global warming, has launched
a month-long green campaign across its television, news, radio
and print platforms. It has also launched a website, http://www.savinggaia.sg/
to reiterate the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling.
Mediacorp explains the use of the Greek term Gaia, seeing it as
synonymous with "Mother Earth" and bids all Singaporeans
to "do your part to save Gaia". But Gaia is a loaded
term and is suggestive of a world view which may not have resonance
with the Christian understanding of a creator God.
Be that as it may, scientists, politicians, celebrities and business
entrepreneurs have in one way or another jumped on the "green"
bandwagon and in concert called for some action in light of the
current global context. Yet it is a little puzzling to me that
while global warming is such a "hot" topic [pun intended],
it seems that not much has been written on this important issue
from a missiological perspective or even preached over the pulpit
as a pastoral concern.
My nagging suspicion is that perhaps there has not been much theological
reflection given to it from our context. This article is in part
the result of my musings on the subject of global warming and
the implications therein for the Church.
Interestingly, as the centre of
Christianity has shifted southwards, the South is becoming more
vocal on issues of global warming. One example is Brazilian Methodist
theologians who have tried to understand the issue by looking
within their own Wesleyan heritage. In particular, Luis Wesley
de Souza, enlarging upon the Wesleyan Quadrilateral to include
creation within the framework, developed a Wesleyan theology of
mission which incorporates Wesley's regard for creation, as evident
in Wesley's correspondences with his friends as well as his sermons
and writings.
de Souza argues that "Wesley's repeated use of terms relating
to creation suggests that for him, the created order was a source
of knowing what is true" - what he calls the hermeneutics
of the creation.
Even if we fail to take note of these contributions from these
Brazilian Wesleyans, we should not ignore what Wesley had to say
with regard to stewardship. In his sermon, "The Good Steward",
Wesley wrote:
We are now God's stewards. We are indebted to Him for all we
have … A steward is not at liberty to use what is lodged
in his hands as he pleases, but as his master pleases … He
is not the owner of any of these things but barely entrusted with
them by another … Now this is exactly the case of anyone
with relation to God. We are not at liberty to use what God has
lodged in our hands as we please but as God pleases, who alone
is the possessor of heaven and earth and the Lord of every creature
… [God] entrusts us with [this world's goods] on this express
condition, that we use them only as our Master's goods, and according
to the particular directions which He has given us in his word.
In view of all that is happening in the world, how should we
respond? Can we proceed with the mission of God while at the same
time be nonchalant to God's creation that groans also for salvific
intervention? I am not suggesting that we adopt the confrontational
practices of various groups but as The Methodist Church in Singapore,
perhaps more could be done at the General Conference level, at
the Annual Conference level as well as within the context of the
local church.
With the Annual Conferences coming up, perhaps we can do more
in terms of limiting our photocopies of the immense amount of
minutes and papers by making them available as "soft copies".
If various supermarkets have also encouraged the use of more recyclable
bags, why can't the Methodist Church make this a particular emphasis
among the conference delegates as well as church members over
the pulpit?
Granted that the
climate crisis has become increasingly politicised, but we need
to note also that care for creation is also a biblical injunction.
It is inherent not only in Wesley's sermons but also within the
biblical accounts. Theologically, this has become an area of
concern that we can no longer ignore. The daily news is replete
with examples of global warming that we do well to take note.
There are also missiological implications as the Church continues
to share the message of God's redemptive love. We cannot purport
to bear the message of God's truth and yet be apathetic to the
implications therein. Rather than being seen as a "trend
follower" in "going green", should not the Church
be the vanguard in being ecologically responsible as this is also
inherent in our stewardship of God's creation?
We do well to take note of the "signs of the times"
and appreciate the fact that the truth of God's message should
rightly "inconvenience" us and stir us from our inertia
and comfort zones!
Andrew Peh is Lecturer in Mission at Trinity Theological
College.
QUOTE:
'Granted that the climate crisis has become increasingly
politicised, but we need to note also that care for creation is
also a biblical injunction. It is inherent not only in Wesley's
sermons but also within the biblical accounts. Theologically,
this has become an area of concern that we can no longer ignore.'